Last-Second Present: Cardless Gift Cards

We've all been there: on the receiving end of a gift exchange you didn't know was going to happen. And while it's always awkward to send something after the fact, a new gift-giving app could give you some coolness points to make up for your faux pas.

Swagg, a free app for both iPhone and Android, lets you send a virtual gift card from your smartphone. You download the app, set up an account, then go through the simple steps to e-mail a gift card to your lucky recipient. You can select a merchant from 3,000-plus stores (from American Apparel to JCPenney to Wet Seal), or let her do the choosing herself. If she has Swagg, too, she can redeem the gift right from her phone when she next hits the mall.

The app will also keep track of your own gift and loyalty cards for you -- no more forgetting to spend the gift certificates you already have, or having wallet full of plastic cards that only get used occasionally. For more info, check out swagg.com.